Cerity Partners acquires another firm as report says all RIAs should prepare for M&A

The strong M&A landscape in the wealth advisory space is set to continue in 2025, a new report says.

It comes as Cerity Partners announces another merger – following its recent addition in Boston -  with West Coast Financial, a financial advisory firm headquartered in Santa Barbara, expanding Cerity’s brand while providing a new chapter of growth for the four-decades-old West Coast Financial.

“Merging with Cerity Partners will allow us to continue building on our mission, while providing clients with expanded access to financial solutions and strategies to bring their money and life into sync,” said Steven Weintraub, managing partner of West Coast Financial.

For breakaway advisors independence is often prized as a way to provide a more personalized service to their clients, but is the desire to remain independent greater than the M&A opportunity?

Read more: LPL to buy rival Commonwealth Financial Network for $2.7 billion in all-cash deal

A new report from Advisor Growth Strategies provides analysis of the current RIA deal environment and highlights how 47 firms completed multiple acquisitions in 2024, including more than 40 that brought acquired firms under their brand.  And 2025 is set to continue to gather pace.

Survey responses reveal that 96% of RIA participants had been contacted at least twice monthly by a potential M&A partner, up from 68% a year earlier. But competition means that buyers are having to work harder to stand out and demonstrate true strength in their platforms.

For those firms that are interested in selling or merging, acquirers are looking for strong recurring revenue, talent management, and client growth. Firms that can achieve this to a high level can command a premium, while those that cannot, may be offered around 21% less than their ideal peers.

The report concludes that, although 55% of RIA respondents see remaining independent as their ideal future, they should still prepare for M&A as the factors that are driving premium deals for those firms that do sell, are also positive for those they do not.